The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1887-04-13
PERILS OF THE SEA.
The Tragic Story Of a Ship
wrecked Schooner.
Two Of Her Grew Of Six Men Res
cued After Great Suffering.


The bark Scots Bay left Lisbon flfty-three
days ago, says the New York SIN, and after
struggle of thirty -four days passed Hatteras
During strong gale on Thursday, while she
was hove to under two lower topsails, spcn-
Ger, and forestaysail, Second Mate OBrieh
dimly saw in the gray dawn, from his perch
on the foretopsail yard, long, dark OBJ.
ject, nearly six miles dead to leeward,
plunging and rolling in the big, wind-swe2t
seas. He reported his discovery to Captain
Steele, and tho Scots Bay squared away and
bore down on the object. It was the wr,ck
of a schooner, and as the bark got closer mld
the daylight brighter, Captain Steele made
out two men sitting on the after house fcebly
waving their arms. The bark passed close
under the stern of the wr,ck and hove
to. Notwithstanding the turbulent waves,
boat was safely launched in charge Of Mate
Peterson and four volunteers and an attempt
made to rescue the two men on the wreck
Mate Peterson noted that the mainmast Of the
schooner was broken close to the deck and
about half of the miZzen and forcmasts were
standing. The deck was flush with the seas,
which swept her at intervals from st"m to
stern.
The two men were lashed to the after house
Their clothing was torn to shIeds and their
bodies were filled with cuts and bruises. They
laughed and cried dcliriolisly when they saw
the boat and its plucky occupants rowing to-
ward them. Mate Peterson made several in
effectual attempts to board the wreck, but The
heavy swells proved to be too much for rhe
lttlo boat. The two shipwrecked men fcebly
begged the boatmen not to leave them. Mate
Peterson shouted encouraging words to the
After much manneuvrinS the
rescuers got CLOSE enough to get hold of The
broken rigging dangling over the port side.
The mate got aboard and lifted the two I'M
fortunateS in tho boat and roWed them to the
bark. They were hoiSted aboard by ropes
and carried by willing hands into tho calm.
All the brandy the Captain had and lots Of
steaming coffee were poured down their
throats. Then they ate nourishing meal and
were put to bed.
When they awokc the next day they told
Capt Williams and Second Mate Dickson
of the Marcus a. Davis, which sailed from
Fern andina, Fla, for Philadelphia on
March z, heavily laden with lumber
Her crew consisted Of Captain Williams,
Mate Bonner, Second Mate Dickson,
Sprague, the white steward, and two colored
in all From March 12 to March
p tho schooner was the plaything of the
clements, which tossed her about as
no craft the Captain had ever commanded
ever was tossed. The men We're kept
at the pumps continually, for she leaked
badly. The northweSterly gales had
driven her far out of her course, and the
Captain, not having any instruments, was
unable to tell where she was, when, on Tues
lay, March -, he hove to ina howling h;lr-
ricane. He supposed that he was off Chinco-
league, Va, but he was really $50 miles east
If Norfolk A lull in the awful blast was
suddenly followed by q squnll that sent the
schooner on her beam ends The Captain Or
lered the men to cut away the fore and main
mastS, and seized All ak himself to help them.
The mainmast was cut close to the deck and
crashed over the port side, carrying half of the
'orc and nliZZen nlasts with it. Mate Bon
,er was struck down by a falling
par, and limped below with q broken
cg, AS the schooner righted she
got 5roadside of the sea, and tons of foam
tipped water arose in mountainous masses and
Oppled on the decks, driving captain and
rev below. The thunderolls halnlneTing of
he seas smashed in the cabin and forecastle,
Washing away or destroying all the food, and
oon filed every nook and corner of the ves-
'el with water. The men were forced OH
ieck again, and. OH tho advice of Captain
W yilianls, lashed themselves to the after house.
All through the night the waves dashed
,vcr the wreck, tearing the clothing of the
nenlikc the hands of invisible furieS. The
notion Of the wreck made the lashingS cut
nto their flesh, and the salt water made the
Wounds smart like burns
Mate Benner died in the night and his body
vas unlashed. \ wave washed it away.
lust before dawn the two negro seamen, who
rad been wildly praying and weeping, went
mad and unlashed themselves. The cap
ain tried to persuade them TO return to the
lousc, but they seemed to be ohlivious of his
and recklessly ran about the deck
Alternately shouting for help and
,raying. They saw imaginary ships sailing to
escue them, and they laughed in wild delight.
ne them, and their cries were more terrible
han the creaking of the wreck and the moan
ng of the wind. One OF the storm-crazed
ailors leaped from the weather rail into the
urging sea, and the other dired headforemost !
nto the water-filled companion way and per-
she'd. Steward Sprague already mad been
orn from his lashingS, and carried away on
giant wave. When morning came the
60 had gone down somewhat and. the wind
lew with less tierceness. The Captain tied |
us tattered shirt to pole and fastened the
ar to tho westward, and the weary, hungry,
nd disheartened sailors shouted them |
elves hoarse in their frantic effort; to at
ract attention. All day long and all |
he following night they lay awake
N the house looking at the stars and praying
or succor. They saw the rescuing bark long |
,efore Lookout O'Brien spied the wreck and
hey added to their exhaustion by wild Yelling
or help. They embraced each other and cried
or joy when they saw the lark square away
md come suddenly down toward them. They
lad been forty-eight hours without food or
rater when they were rescued When they
anded in New York they made bee line for
he Pennsylvania ferry, and boarded ali carly !
IN in fo1, Plilalalnhin